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Earlier this week, we kicked off our obligatory year-end coverage with the 10 best songs of 2010, as decided by, well… me. As promised, we continue today with the much-anticipated “Part Two” of that post. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the Best Records of 2010… also decided upon by me (in case that wasn’t clear). Enjoy.

Best Records of 2010:

10. Games – That We Can Play

Can I put an EP on my “Best Records of 2010″ list? Of course I can, it’s my list and I make the rules. Games‘ That We Can Play is 5 tracks of vintage ’80s synth-pop bliss (plus a remix). The observationally astute amongst you will recall “Strawberry Skies” was already #2 on my Top Songs list. It’s the clear jam of the bunch, but the remainder of the EP isn’t too far behind. While the duo, Daniel Lopatin of Oneohtrix Point Never and Tigercity’s Joel Ford, clearly play in the throwback end of the pool, their sound can’t be mistaken for anything but contemporary. It is as much 2010 as it is 1984. Also, rumor has it that Games will be recording a 2011 full length in Jann Hammer’s studio (yes, he of Miami Vice theme song fame), which, in a weird and awesome way, makes a lot of sense.

9. Buke & Gass – Riposte

Because I just wrote about Buke & Gass for a Lagmag piece, I’ll let my earlier self do the talking here for a bit: “Yes, that sound you hear coming through your speakers (or from that stage) is made by two people. Granted, these are peculiar sounds, but it’s the complexity that belies their true number. To an extent, the peculiarity can be attributed to their self-built instruments. Arone Dyer plays the “buke” (a modified six-string baritone ukulele), and Aron Sanchez the “gass” (a guitar-bass hybrid), which are both filtered through various invented pedals and amps. Combined with complex percussion (played simultaneously with their feet, of course), Dyer’s intricate vocal melodies, and other miscellaneous hand-claps and snaps, and you start to see where this impressive racket comes from.” Fair warning, that impressive racket digs into your brain and doesn’t let go, and you’ll eventually start hearing Riposte loops in your head. The only remedy? Putting the record back on.

If you haven’t already noticed, it’s that time of year again. The time when everyone with an opinion (and a website or a blog) decides to share with you their “Best of 2010″ lists. While I’d love to pretend that Lagmag is different, we aren’t, so our two-part year-end coverage begins NOW.

Today, we kick things off with my “Best Songs of 2010″ list. You can click on the titles below for links to check out each song. Alternately, I set up a playlist on iTunes so you can easily follow, listen and purchase any of the songs that tickle your proverbial fancy.

Best Songs of 2010:

“Gone Completely” is the first track off Lux from Chicago’s Disappears, and if you aren’t hooked within the first 30 seconds, this record isn’t for you. It’s a fuzzed-out, scuzzed-up, and reverb-laden gem that perfectly sets the tone for the remaining 27 minutes of the record. Brian Case’s sneering “Do you ever think about / What if we had never met” also happens to be my favorite line to sing along with this year.

There weren’t too many records released this year that melded a Spector-era girl group vibe from the ’50s with the darker minor-key sound of mid-’90s alt-rock, and none did it as successfully as Best Coast’s Crazy for You. “Boyfriend”, the opening track, is that perfect intersection. It’s catchy as hell, but it’s also kind of sad and universally relatable–which is really what great pop songs are all about.